Your 2016 Frequently Asked Night Guard Questions, Answered

Q: How do I know if I’m grinding my teeth at night?

A: A dentist can tell whether or not you are grinding or clenching your teeth either through observable wear and/or tiny fracture lines or through x ray. Other common ways of learning you do grind or clench your teeth include a partner hearing you, waking up with continuous teeth/facial pain, scalloped tongue, and flattened teeth.

A: Dentists can see a lot of things you can’t. When you do grind, it only happens in short bursts; it’s not all night. Each instance may only last for 30 seconds to a minute. You may well sleep with your mouth open 90% of the night (doubtful), but still grind the heck out of your teeth during the 10%.

Q: Okay but do I really have to wear a night guard while I sleep?
A: Wearing a night guard is a preventative measure and can relieve a lot of the aching facial/headache pain that is often associated with night bruxing. Dental procedures are very costly and if you’re trying to avoid major restorative work (whether it be short term or long term) wearing your night guard is a good idea.

Q:What’s the worse than can happen if I don’t?A: Things like this.

Q: But how am I going to get used to wearing it?

A: At Sentinel Mouthguards, we take comfort into big consideration because we want you to actually wear your appliance. On our shopping site, we give customers an option to choose your own thickness based on your needs and comfort level. If you absolutely cannot stand the idea of wearing a night guard, a thin or ultra thin night guard will be an easy transition and yes, any foreign object that is in the mouth feels well…foreign at first but the good news is, you will adapt to sleeping with it in. A custom mouth guard is far superior to over the counter “one size fits all” types so you’re already ahead of many by choosing to go the custom route. Many of our customers claim that they now gotten so used to wearing a night guard, that they cannot sleep WITHOUT their night guard in. Imagine that!

Q:Okay, what happens if my guard does wear down quickly? Is there any warranty?

A: Keep in mind that the Sentinel warranty and return policy is unlike any other. We stand by our products and will always work with you to your absolute satisfaction. This means that if you are dissatisfied with your product for any reason, you can either contact Sentinel within 90 days for a full refund or opt to continue working with us until you get a great fitting guard. Our commitment to you is 100% satisfaction.

Q: Okay what about taking my own dental impression. I’m worried I’ll mess it up. How do you do it?

A: First off, do not use the impression system if you have braces, loose teeth, loose dental work, etc. Sentinel Mouthguard Co. is not liable for any damages resulting from the use of the putty system. Seriously, putty and braces do not mix. Also, putty and loose teeth don’t mix unless you want those teeth to wind up outside of your mouth. In that case, it’s more effective than the tooth, string, door handle method. Taking your own dental impression is EASY (and you do not need to pay a dentist hundreds of dollars to do it). We will send you a plastic tray, dental putty, & a pre-paid envelope to mail back to us. You need to have a timer, clean hands, & good solid teeth.If you do mess up your dental impression the first time, no worries! We will send a new dental impression kit to you free of charge. Here are a couple of articles that will help: http://sentinelmouthguards.com/about/how-it-works/http://sentinelmouthguards.com/if-i-mess-up-my-dental-impression-what-do-i-do-sentinel-mouthguards/

Q: I have TMJ. My jaw and bite are misaligned from clenching. I now have an over bite. Can a night guard help?

A: It is possible that a night guard can help but we don’t recommend buying one online if you have TMJ. You should seek treatment from your dentist.If he/she says you need to wear a custom made guard, you may need a more complex type that involves setting your jaw in a certain position to correct the jaw misalignment. These types of guards are typically far more expensive than the traditional custom night guards for bruxism.

Q: My dentist tells me that I need a night guard because I’m grinding my teeth. My bottom wisdom teeth are growing in and I’m worried about making a custom one and then having to get a new one in a few months because my wisdom teeth are fully grown in. Does the night guard cover the wisdom teeth?

A: The custom night guards do not extend all the way back to your wisdom teeth unless you specifically request this extension.

Q: I previously ordered a night guard from another company. My nightguard is already yellowed and I’m trying to figure out how to get it less so. It was never clear as in your pictures. It was whitish. How do I clean it? Can I reverse the yellowing?

Clean it daily with a mild soap and soft toothbrush & remember to dry thoroughly in between uses. Keeping it dry makes a huge difference in the condition of your guard. Now, if it already has an odor and/or is yellowing it may be difficult to reverse it but you might try to soak it in a denture cleaner such as Insta-Fresh or Smile Again. This may pull some of the yellowing out. It is good practice to do a soak once a week in combination with the daily cleaning with a mild soap and a soft tooth brush. Remember to keep your guard DRY and store it in its retainer case between uses. More on this here:http://sentinelmouthguards.com/night-guard-care-cleaning-maintenance-clean-night-guard/

Q: If I order a night guard and the fit isn’t right what are my options??

A: You can return it for a refund or we will continue to work with you to your satisfaction.

Q: What happens if I wear the night guard for a few months and then need to have a filling put in?

A: Something very small like a small filling probably won’t change your dental anatomy enough to cause an ill fit. However, if you’re getting a new crown, bridge work, implants, extractions- that may cause an ill fit. In that case, you would need to order a new Nightguard and take a brand new dental impression.

Q: Would I have to pay for the new guard or would it be a replacement?

A: If your guard becomes defective for any reason or you wear through your guard we will replace it for free. However, if you received dental work that causes your dental anatomy to change and as a result your Nightguard is not wearable you would be responsible for purchasing a new guard.

Q: I’m looking at the site. Why is one of the questions when ordering the guard if I am a male or female?

A:When we send the impression kit out we send a couple of different plastic tray sizes for you to try in. You choose which one fits best to take your dental impression. If you’re a female we send a medium and small tray. If you’re a male we send a large and medium tray.

Q: Okay. If I place the order today, when can i expect to receive the guard?

A: We ship USPS first class. If you place the order before 5pm eastern time today we will get the kit shipped to you today. USPS First Class mail says to allow 2-10 days for delivery. Usually takes no more than 5 days. Upon receipt of your dental impression we ask to allow 3-7 business days to make your guard. The entire process from start to finish typically takes 3 to 4 weeks. We do offer an expedited service that includes ALL INCLUSIVE Priority mail shipping + 2 business day lab processing time. The cost for this service is $70 and can be added to your cart at checkout.

Please let us know if our Q& A is helpful! If you would like leave feedback or add additional questions of your own to this list, simply comment below and we will continue to update and provide answers.

Our teeth tend to be resilient considering the constant biting, chewing and grinding they are prone to. With time, however, changes keep occurring to our teeth. For instance, they continually wear and tear as one ages, and you may experience problems such as grinding your teeth at night or even clenching your jaw. Such problems can lead to a dental condition known as bruxism, which may put your teeth at the risk of erosion and pain if not treated. In such a case, dentists recommend using custom mouth guards.

Mouth guards are important in protecting your teeth, this is because frequent teeth grinding and clenching can severely damage your dental health resulting in cracks and fractures on your teeth. Instead of going for costly and painful procedures such as getting root canals, crowns, or bridges why not use preventive measures such as dental night guards.

How much is a mouth guard from the dentist?
There are a number of night guard options out there ranging from cheap options to very expensive ones. It is important to carefully evaluate all the available choices before purchasing your dental night guards. It is important is to find the dental night guard that best protect your teeth, while giving you service for a long time.

First, what to avoid:The Sports Mouth Guard
Sports mouth guards are very common; this is because it is mandatory for young children to have them on while playing most sports. They are made of stiff plastic, making them uncomfortable to wear for long hours because of their hard material. Some can be boiled then molded to your teeth, but they tend to be bulky. They are a great option for protecting teeth from impact during sport activities.
Sports mouth guards are by far the cheapest option of dental night guard’s available going for as low as $20 or even lower. They are not effective as dental night guards as their structure and material causes sleeping and breathing difficulties.

Acceptable Night Guard Choices

Over the Counter Dental Night Guard
You can actually purchase night mouth guards over the counter from some convenience stores. They are made of plastic and can be boiled then fitted to your teeth. They are similar to sports mouth guards, only that their material is softer and more comfortable for night use.
They are relatively affordable as their price falls in the range of $15 -$30 and can be used as dental night guards. However, they are fairly thick and one may find them rather uncomfortable to wear.

Professional Night Guard from Dentists
These are custom dental night guards ordered directly from your dentist. Usually, the dentist takes a mold of your teeth then takes it to the lab, where your own customized dental night guard for your teeth is created.
These night guards are very effective at preventing teeth grinding at night as they are custom fitted for your teeth specifically. They vary in thickness depending on the severity of teeth grinding. In addition to preventing teeth grinding, they curb jaw strain and enhance better jaw muscle positioning preventing long term teeth grinding and clenching. They are comfortable to wear and can give you service for a very long time if well take care of.
However, this is the most expensive option out there, with their price falling in the range of $300 to $700+ depending on the dentist.

Professional Night Guard from Online Stores
These are custom dental night guards ordered from online stores. Usually, they send you supplies and instructions to help you take a mold of your teeth from which you take it to them. They then use your mold to create a customized dental night guard. They produce the same high quality dental night guard as you would get from your own dentist, serving the same purpose of comfort and protection.
They are a cheaper yet very reliable alternative to purchasing from your dentist, as the level of quality is the same. Their price falls in the range of $80 to $ 200, making this a very effective yet cheap option to go for. Basically, dentists are more expensive as you pay them for taking the mold of your teeth; this is the only difference between the two unless your dentist is making a more complex appliance (such as one for TMJ that sets the jaw into desired position).

Why Professional night guards from online stores?
With the many options out there, you may be split for choice. The option of buying “one size fits all” type of mouth guards, may seem as a convenient temporary fix to prevent teeth grinding, however this may not give you service for a long time. You can comfortably enjoy the services of a professional dentist at half the price from buying from an online store. This is a convenient option because the mouth guard is custom made to suit your mouth and it saves you loads of money and it is hassle free. There are many online stores out there dealing with selling of mouth guards, ensure you go to a credited source to avoid the risks associated with fraudsters.
In today’s world, most people underestimate the importance of dental care. They fail to understand that oral issues can lead to wide range of disorders affecting different regions of the body. As a result, it is quite essential that you understand what your oral health requirements are. The cost of dental night guards might seem too much for some, but in reality it is a worthy investment. These are items that will help you not only today, but in future also.

In conclusion

Healthy strong teeth are vital for not only proper dental health but also for comfort and well-being. If diagnosed with bruxism, worry less; however take preventive measures to ensure the problem does not go further. Most dentists often suggest expensive custom mouth guards but by going to an online store you can save tremendous amounts of money while enjoying the same comfort and protection. Why spend $ 500+? You can save more than half the price by going for online options and have your mouth guards made at the same quality. Well there you have it. Thank you for taking the time to read! Check out more from us here!